Why would one give up a nice dinghy for a porta-boat. That's like trading a nice toilet for a porta-potti?

As to the windows, can't tell from a photo the strength or fragility.

You're right. It's a trade off on looks versus practicality. Personally, I don't think the boat looks bad. It just looks like a Nordhavn. Funny, when I see a Nordhavn, I really don't think of how it looks in comparison to other boats. Just know it's going to look like a Nordhavn.

Why would one give up a nice dinghy for a porta-boat. That's like trading a nice toilet for a porta-potti?

As to the windows, can't tell from a photo the strength or fragility.

You're right. It's a trade off on looks versus practicality. Personally, I don't think the boat looks bad. It just looks like a Nordhavn. Funny, when I see a Nordhavn, I really don't think of how it looks in comparison to other boats. Just know it's going to look like a Nordhavn.

But I'm not giving up the dinghy. lol

A dinghy, to me, is just a ship to shore conveyance so a porta-boat doesn't bother me, but then I'll never really be a Nordhavn customer, either.

They filled one with bricks and dropped it from 20 feet (?) high and it didn't break, that's a rugged boat.

The windows are often covered with plexiglass storm windows when they do a crossing, I read somewhere. A big, flat window will feel a lot more pressure from a crashing wave than a port light, say. As the area of unsupported glass between frames increases, the risk of a breakout also rises, I would think.

Nobody likes my N 56, so Bluto sad.

I like it.
The only way it would look cooler is with the hull painted burnt orange. Yeahhh,

It reminds me of my brother-in-law's bass boat when he's trying to get to the good spot first.

We lived on a lake in NC covered with bass fishermen. Actually on the lake there were fishermen, average boat 17-18', speed 30-40 mph. Then there were bass fishermen, average boat 19-24', speed 50-70 mph. The only reason some went to longer boats was so they could put more motor on it. A lot of 250-300 hp outboards sold.

Just a few go-fast boats like the one in the photo and they were much smaller than it.

The start of bass tournaments, you'd think that there were only three or four spots on a 30 mile lake that actually had bass.

We lived on a lake in NC covered with bass fishermen. Actually on the lake there were fishermen, average boat 17-18', speed 30-40 mph. Then there were bass fishermen, average boat 19-24', speed 50-70 mph. The only reason some went to longer boats was so they could put more motor on it. A lot of 250-300 hp outboards sold.

Just a few go-fast boats like the one in the photo and they were much smaller than it.

The start of bass tournaments, you'd think that there were only three or four spots on a 30 mile lake that actually had bass.

Oh, yes. My bro in law is a tournament chasing bass man, he has an old 19 or 20 footer but she's packin' a 250 hp Mercury and tops out at 70+ mph, he told me. Smooth ride, too.
Bring strap-on sunglasses, you'll need them.

I like the MS 56 for its functionality but as Hollywood pointed out, it is one ugly son of a gun.
I got the original pic from the Nordhavn site, then used the computer to adjust it a little bit. With a redrawn line here, some junk left off there, I think it is an acceptable looking boat. With that variable pitch prop and slow revving Lugger, this thing can go just about anywhere. Trouble is, when you get there you want to park it out back.
So I tried to fix it.
What do you think?

You've made it look like it's much smaller brother, the N35, which isn't a bad thing.

But the most important improvement by far was to give it side decks methinks.

Thanks, Conrad. If you study pictures of the boat at sea, viewed from the stern, the pilothouse width and squareness of it all make it unattractive from that angle. The instruments and dink up on the roof don't help at all.
The side decks would make tramping through the saloon to go aft unnecessary, but they would cost some interior volume.
The interior space lost is mostly taken up by a huge windowsill on the starboard side and the TV stand and straight settee (or two chairs) on the port side. No big deal to my mind. The curving bay windows aft of the side doors would be gone, and I wouldn't miss those either.
I bet they had this same discussion while they were designing it, and my side lost.
It's still a wonderful motor sailer.
Nobody has mentioned the clean line along the shear, which is just a paint change. I think the shear looks a lot nicer this way.

A dinghy, to me, is just a ship to shore conveyance so a porta-boat doesn't bother me, but then I'll never really be a Nordhavn customer, either.

I'm allergic to orange. lol

It's amazing how we all use our boats differently and then see dinghies or tenders differently. We normally overnight at marinas but we probably use our ribs as much as anyone. At least those who know laugh at us. But we love to go explore those areas the boat won't go. Shallow, under low bridges. All around islands. We've had days that we were gone the entire day in the rib. Well, did have to refuel a couple of times. But places like Savannah with all the wildlife reserves and on up the rivers and the islands in the Bahamas and around Destin and Panama City.

That said, we would have to have a better way to get the dinghy into and out of the water. Would also probably want a little larger dinghy. But then we're not their targeted customer.

It's amazing how we all use our boats differently and then see dinghies or tenders differently. We normally overnight at marinas but we probably use our ribs as much as anyone. At least those who know laugh at us. But we love to go explore those areas the boat won't go. Shallow, under low bridges. All around islands. We've had days that we were gone the entire day in the rib. Well, did have to refuel a couple of times. But places like Savannah with all the wildlife reserves and on up the rivers and the islands in the Bahamas and around Destin and Panama City.

That said, we would have to have a better way to get the dinghy into and out of the water. Would also probably want a little larger dinghy. But then we're not their targeted customer.

Exploring is definitely fun and rewarding, no doubt!

Bridges! Bad news, can't go under there..
You can't carry a heavy tender, the boom has limits, you can get by lifting 250 pounds or so. You're right about that, too.

She certainly wouldn't do for gunkholing and I doubt most TF members would ever look at such a boat.
The hull shape is all displacement forward with a broad flair, then sweeps to a flatter, tapered stern and has an added stern form (?) that rises to become the short swim platform. Below the waterline they are very beautiful. The 56 is a purely blue water vessel with a 7 foot draft. It's almost anti-social, the opposite of a fun coastal boat.

My idea for the boat is to head for the med. If I had the wherewithal to acquire the boat, I'd have it to take a cruise. I'd hire a captain and cruise the coasts until I felt confident and the boat shaken down, then drop him off, load her up and probably never come back. I've seen enough local dirt to suit me.

Bluto: When altering the looks of traditional boats as we know them here on TF, you'll always get a wide spectrum of opinion. Thank Heaven's we do, cuz if we didn't, all boats would be built and marketed the same. Take a jaunt down to Miami and look through the marinas.....full of carved bars of soap,....boring and unimaginative even with their incredible interiors. The N-56 might be functionally styled, as is my boat. I like what you've done with it cuz it's more my style, but for the most part, we gotta live with them the way they are or have an awful lot of money to burn.

Every change I've made to my boat, I've Photo-Shopped first to see if I've made an even more style-challenged boat more challenged than before. So far, so good, but I've gotten a great deal of critique from traditionalists, which unfortunately is the kind of buyer that is interested in function over form designs, and eventually who I'll have to market my boat to as well.

Bluto: When altering the looks of traditional boats as we know them here on TF, you'll always get a wide spectrum of opinion. Thank Heaven's we do, cuz if we didn't, all boats would be built and marketed the same. Take a jaunt down to Miami and look through the marinas.....full of carved bars of soap,....boring and unimaginative even with their incredible interiors. The N-56 might be functionally styled, as is my boat. I like what you've done with it cuz it's more my style, but for the most part, we gotta live with them the way they are or have an awful lot of money to burn.

Every change I've made to my boat, I've Photo-Shopped first to see if I've made an even more style-challenged boat more challenged than before. So far, so good, but I've gotten a great deal of critique from traditionalists, which unfortunately is the kind of buyer that is interested in function over form designs, and eventually who I'll have to market my boat to as well.

The way the N 56 is built, these changes are only possible in fantasy land. The entire deck/pilothouse out to the bulwarks is one piece from a female mold and it wouldn't be feasible to do this.
I like the N56 and if I had one I wouldn't let anyone near her with a saw in their grubby hand..
Still, it's fun to play designer when it doesn't cost anything or damage any boats.

T
I like the N56 and if I had one I wouldn't let anyone near her with a saw in their grubby hand..
Still, it's fun to play designer when it doesn't cost anything or damage any boats.

Agreed, but with these older 70's and 80's boats, if one sees an opportunity to improve something without compromising the strength, balance, CG, saftey or intention of the design, modern materials and tech "could" improve performance, convenience, and maybe even the appearance. Necessity forced me to take a saw to mine already, and I'm not done yet.

Agreed, but with these older 70's and 80's boats, if one sees an opportunity to improve something without compromising the strength, balance, CG, saftey or intention of the design, modern materials and tech "could" improve performance, convenience, and maybe even the appearance. Necessity forced me to take a saw to mine already, and I'm not done yet.

The way I look at it, it's your boat, do what you want. It's not something sacred. Like houses. Looked once at a house that was an odd color. An artist owned it. Broker said, "Do not let her know you intend to paint it. She wouldn't sell to one couple who did."

I think you've done a great job on your boat.

When it comes to houses, I think there are two many house rehab shows on television now. When we bought our house we sure took the saws to it, or had them taken to it. Walls down, openings, rooms combined, painting. You love your boat but only if...it had or didn't have something. Well, if it can be made better for your tastes, then do it.

No doubt the n56 is an acquired taste. My wife kinda liked them but I would have preferred a jongert if we decided to go that root. Here's a couple of shots of a 55 and a 56 side by side.
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I think the type of boat you are after is the standard Northern European motor sailors. I have had many Nauticat and the Nauticat 441 is a great sailing boat as well as a super strong passagemaker under diesel.

Agree with the idea of a north sea type MS. I also note earlier remarks about MS not being a good M or S boat. Well its a compromise that when well designed and built right results in a superb long distance boat. The sails are there for auxiliary and steadying purposes and the motor to achieve hull speed at a good fuel burn rate. The interiors while not house boat in nature are usually commodious sail boat type. I once complained to a Dutch builder and designer of a MS about the sails being too small and he proceeded to educate me about old school MS design and why the sails were there. The newer school MS like the Bruckman fifty are a different animal closer to a 100/100% MS

There have been some smaller power vessels designed for long range cruising. Whether or not they were truly practical I know not.
Camano, Bob Warman, designed a 36'?? Camano of aluminum many years ago which was supposed to be able to reach Hawaii from Vancouver, B.C.
Loved the look of the boat but I don't think there were more than one or two sold. I did see one in person many years later.
I've seen another boat, about 40', without knowing the builders, that did cross the Pacific on a multiyear cruise, leaving and returning to the Y.C. I was a member of at the time.

Unfortunately though, the market for true small passagemakers is small with the result there are few of them around. I certainly am not in the crowd that can afford these but I do take an interest when I see one but there are not many at all. Usually much larger boats.

There have been some smaller power vessels designed for long range cruising. Whether or not they were truly practical I know not.
Camano, Bob Warman, designed a 36'?? Camano of aluminum many years ago which was supposed to be able to reach Hawaii from Vancouver, B.C.
Loved the look of the boat but I don't think there were more than one or two sold. I did see one in person many years later.

I think that one was a 42; Pacific Yachting did a writeup on it, and I think you're right, there were only a couple produced. He also made a smaller 35 I think, but not sure if it was aluminum. All before he started produced the very successful 28/31.

Truant also made a very offshore looking 44' trawler; don't think they made too many, and no idea how offshore capable it actually was.